Denmark's foreign affairs ministry is backing a new WAN-Ifra media freedom programme for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Under the 6.5 million Danish Kroner (A$1.37 million) partnership, WAN-Ifra will work with print and digital media organisations in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to improve the safety of journalists and the security of newsrooms, increase media-led advocacy around press freedom and gender-related issues, provide high-level business and editorial management support, and offer financial assistance to strengthen public interest reporting.

It builds on a previous three-year strategic engagement with the ministry and complements existing programme engagements on the African continent through long-term collaborations with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Women In News programme, as well as the Norwegian foreign affairs ministry.

Over coming months, WAN-Ifra will contact the up to 25 newsrooms and media partners chosen to participate in the three-year project.